Sometimes Trash is a Treasure

When I was in 6th grade, my mom picked me up from school in they alley that ran into the staff parking lot outside the 6th grade door.  To this day (and let's be honest, I was in 6th grade A WHILE ago) I can remember the day I got in the car and she said "we're going around the block and back down the alley."  As we drove down the alley, back toward the middle school I was instructed to get out and pick up the wheeled office chair that was out in someones trash. 

I was mortified.

That chair was missing a wheel (duh...it was in the trash) but otherwise in decent shape.  But not for long.  A replacement wheel (a wooden one at that) soon took it's place on that chair, and suddenly we had two chairs for the sewing room that had wheels.  Awesome.

Remember how I said I was mortified?

Sunday I was taking a box of things I no longer needed to goodwill...along the way I spotted an older blue suitcase on the left side of the road.  I passed it by, but continued to think about it.  I almost turned around.  But I felt like I'd gone too far.  Then I passed a huge basket on the right that looked like it was full of frames.  I'm in the market for some different, low cost artwork for my house, and since this was the second curbside find I'd driven past, I drove around the block and stopped back at the basket of frames.  I picked out two, put them in the trunk and went on my merry way to goodwill.

But I couldn't stop thinking about those suitcases!

On my way back home (after a trip to the grocery and a long line at the goodwill drop off) I drove home, fingers crossed that my blue suitcase would still be there.

It was.  And there was a bonus inside.  A smaller version of it's self.  Both are in excellent condition. 

I guess I owe my mom a big thank you for making me get over my own pride, and pick that chair out of the trash.  I scored some great new craft show display items!